gay

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
gay/ɡeɪ/

▶adjective (gayer, gayest)

• 1 (especially of a man) homosexual.

  ■ relating to or used by homosexuals.

• 2 dated light-hearted and carefree.

• 3 dated brightly coloured; showy.

▶noun a homosexual person, especially a man.

– derivatives
gayness noun.

– origin ME: from OFr. gai, of unknown origin.

usage: Gay meaning ‘homosexual’ is the term preferred by homosexual men to describe themselves, and is now the standard accepted term in English. As a result, the centuries-old other senses of gay meaning either ‘carefree’ or ‘showy’ have largely dropped out of natural use.